for Gwen, her arms seemed elastic. This time the Sixth
were beaten, and the Fifth began to breathe.

"It would be just too ripping if we really won!" exclaimed Betty
Brierley.

"We mustn't crow too soon, we're not out of the wood yet," returned
Irene Platt.

The excitement had risen to high-water mark. Some of the school were
for the Sixth, and some for the Fifth, and their rival claims were
discussed eagerly.

"Try and think you don't mind, and then you'll be far less nervous,"
whispered Hilda to Gwen.

Gwen nodded. She had almost passed the stage of nervousness.

"We can't do better than our best," she replied.

Perhaps Olga and Geraldine were nervous too; they made one or two bad
strokes which seemed to put them out considerably. Gwen, on the
contrary, surpassed herself. Never in her life before had she played
so well. She seemed able to take every ball in whatever awkward spot
it landed. Thanks largely to her ubiquity, the set ended in the
triumph of the Fifth. A tremendous clapping and cheering ensued. For
three years the Sixth had held the trophy, so it was indeed an honour
to have won it from their possession. Gwen and Hilda were absolutely
feted by their Form, and even the vanquished Sixth had the magnanimity
to praise their play.

"Gwen Gascoyne is simply A1," was the general verdict. "She's a
perfect surprise. We didn't know we'd anyone so good in the school."

"Look here, Gwen, you and Olga will have to enter for the shield. You
and she have proved yourselves far and away the best champions this
afternoon," said Bessie Manners.

"Compete for the shield!" cried Gwen, turning hot with pleasure at the
bare idea.

She and Hilda were called up then to receive the trophy, and bore
away the silver cup with much pride. All the Form marched into the
school to see it put in its place upon the mantelpiece of their
classroom.

"Well done, the old Fifth!" said Betty Brierley.

"And hurrah for its champions!" added Rachel Hunter.

To Gwen, though the winning of the trophy had been a wild delight,
Bessie's hint was a cause of even greater excitement. Rodenhurst
belonged to the County United Schools' Tennis League, which every year
played a big tournament in Stedburgh. Ten different schools were in
the league, four being from Stedburgh and the others from various
places in the neighbourhood. Each sent their two best champions; the
prize, a large brass shield mounted on oak, becoming for the year the
prope